Chapter 1083

A loud gasp broke the silence as the summit secretary burst into the room. Having failed to squeeze into the elevator, he had literally run up thirty-four flights of stairs. He looked like he was about to pass out.

"Mr. Schwartz..." The secretary doubled over, panting heavily, his face ashen. "I heard someone was plotting against you. Is this the woman?"

"N-no..." Lila whimpered as all eyes turned to her. Terrified, she dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face. "It wasn't my idea, I swear, I just..."

Through her tears, she looked directly at a very panicked Sheryl.

"Why are you looking at me?" Sheryl shrieked, jumping as if she'd been burned. "I don't even know you! This has nothing to do with me!"

Lila sobbed harder, her eyes already swollen and red from crying.

The entire room shifted their gaze to Sheryl, their expressions loaded with a mix of suspicion and disdain.

"Why are you all looking at me like that?" Sheryl widened her eyes, playing the innocent victim. "I was resting in the room next door. I have absolutely no idea what's happening here! Where are the security guards? Drag this woman out of here and hand her over to the cops!"

The security guard didn't move an inch. Instead, he kept his eyes glued to Shanley, waiting for an order.

But Shanley ignored everyone. He calmly continued shelling almonds for the woman he loved, treating the room full of elite guests like nothing more than thin air.

The crowd held their breath. No one dared to make a sound. It was impossible to predict what this ruthless man was about to do.

"Bored?" Shanley's low, gravelly voice finally shattered the silence, making everyone's hearts skip a beat. "How about we watch a little video?"

He clicked a remote, and the massive flat-screen TV roared to life. Crystal-clear footage played, showing Sheryl and Lila meticulously plotting the entire scheme right up to the moment they executed it.

Sheryl gasped, her pupils dilating in pure horror. She stared at the screen, her mind totally blank.

How was this possible? How did the video of her private conversation end up here?

In a flash, every single reporter in the room swiveled their heavy cameras directly at her. That was when the terrifying reality hit her-these weren't the reporters she had hired.

"I..." Sheryl stammered, frantically waving her hands. "It's not me! Someone doctored the footage! Someone is framing me!"

The guests stared at her like she had lost her mind.

It had been a live broadcast. How do you fake a live broadcast? More importantly,

who on earth would have the audacity to pull a stunt like this right under Shanley Schwartz's nose?

"Sheryl, we all just watched this

downstairs a young socialite finally

muttered, unable to watch the

pathetic display anymore "Every word you said to her right before she walked into this room was

broadcasted live to the entire

banquet hall."

"What?" Sheryl froze, the last traces of color draining from her face.

"What about you?" Juniper asked calmly, popping another nut into her mouth as she looked down at the trembling off on the floor. Hertone was surprisingly gentle. Do you have anything you want to say?"

Knowing Lila had been coerced, Juniper had made sure her face was heavily blurred during the live stream. Even now, she signaled the reporters to keep their lenses off the crying girl.

Lila hesitated, glancing nervously between Juniper and Sheryl.

"Take a breath," Juniper coaxed smoothly. "Your brother is currently at the Schwartz Group's hospital. Our top specialists are treating him as we speak."

Her brother was safe? Hearing those words, Lila practically threw herself at Juniper's feet, bowing deeply to the floor.

"Ms. Payne, I'm so sorry!" Lila cried. "It was Sheryl! She forced me to get plastic surgery to look like you so could seduce Mr. Schwartz! When I refused, she threatened to pull my brother's life-saving treatment! I never wanted to do this, I swear!" Cóntent

"You lying bitch!" Faced with the shocked gasps of the crowd, Sheryl turned utterly

feral. "Who paid you to slander me? I'll kill you!"

She lunged forward, raising her designer bag to strike Lila.

*Smack!*

Before Sheryl's bag could connect, a sharp slap rang out. Sheryl was sent crashing to the floor.

"Did I give you permission to speak?" Juniper rubbed her stinging wrist, her eyes perfectly calm as she looked down at the pathetic heap on the floor. "How rude."

The crowd watched in stunned silence.